Just how does your team perform in the each half of matches? If rugby league were a game of just 40, not 80 minutes, would your team do better or worse? Is your team a slow starter but whirlwind finisher? Are they coming home with a wet sail but still failing?<br><br>What if the competition were only based on the second half; could you be expecting premiership glory instead of heartache? <br><br>Stats Insider has the answers over the next two weeks. <br><br>In our first instalment this week we examine the first-half performances of teams (and we’ll even let Melbourne in this competition…) The major talking points are:<br>* The Telstra Premiership’s ‘first-half heroes’ are the Manly Sea Eagles, who are yet to lose a single opening stanza in 2010. Des Hasler’s side is brilliant out of the blocks, winning nine of nine first halves with a substantial 110-points differential. They have scored more first-half points than any other side. Should the club continue this trend and rectify a few late stumbles, they could well turn out to be favourites for the title. <br><br>* The Gold Coast Titans are terrible starters – but have obviously found a way to overcome the issue. Currently second on the NRL ladder, the Titans would be 13th if things were judged on first halves alone. They have won just two first halves and had one draw, but have seven overall wins this season.<br><br>* The Canberra Raiders are the fifth-best side in the NRL in the first half, a huge difference from their 11th position on the NRL ladder. The Raiders have won five first halves but only three matches this season. (Interestingly, the three times the Raiders lost first halves, they were held scoreless.)<br><br>* The Newcastle Knights are the sixth-best side in the NRL when it comes to first halves, up from their 12th position on the NRL ladder. Also, the Knights have won five first halves… but just three matches. <br><br>* The Parramatta Eels, like the Titans, have found a way to overcome poor starts. The Eels have won just one first half, with one draw and a bye this year, and if judged by this alone they would be 14th in the NRL. But with four wins and a bye they are actually placed sixth. They have scored the equal least points in first halves (along with the Sharks) with just 38. <br><br>* The Dragons have conceded the least amount of first-half points with just 36 put past them. Three times they have kept sides to nothing in first halves.<br><br>* The Cowboys have conceded the most points in first halves, with a mammoth 145 leaked points; with just two first-half wins, they are the worst performed first-40 team.<br><br>* The Warriors have been kept scoreless on four occasions in first halves, the most of any team.<br><b><br>First-half Results</b><br><br><b>1. Sea Eagles (Actually 3rd)</b><br>Rd 1 v Tigers: Win 20-4<br>Rd 2 v Eels: Win 14-0<br>Rd 3 v Knights: Win 24-6<br>Rd 4 v Warriors: Win 6-0<br>Rd 5 v Sharks: Win 30-6<br>Rd 6 v Storm: Win 18-6<br>Rd 7 v Titans: Win 16-12<br>Rd 8 v Rabbitohs: Win 18-6<br>Rd 9 v Dragons: Win 10-6<br><br>TOTAL: 9 wins, 0 losses, 156 points for, 46 against, Differential 110, points 18<br><br><b>2. Panthers (Actually 4th)</b><br>Rd 1 v Raiders: Win 22-0<br>Rd 2 v Cowboys: Win 14-2<br>Rd 3 v Storm: Loss 4-6<br>Rd 4 v Knights: Loss 6-24<br>Rd 5 v Roosters: Win 16-0<br>Rd 6 v Warriors: Win 22-0<br>Rd 7 v Tigers: Win 14-12<br>Rd 8 v Titans: Draw 12-12<br>Rd 9 v Bye<br><br>TOTAL: 5 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw, 1 bye, 110 points for, 56 against, differential 54, points 13<br><br><b>3. Dragons (Actually 1st)</b><br>Rd 1 v Eels: Win 12-6<br>Rd 2 v Bulldogs: Win 16-0<br>Rd 3 v Cowboys: Win 17-2<br>Rd 4 v Storm: Loss 0-4<br>Rd 5 v Broncos: Win 18-6<br>Rd 6 v Titans: Win 6-0<br>Rd 7 v Roosters: Loss 4-6<br>Rd 8 v Sharks: Win 18-0<br>Rd 9 v Sea Eagles: Loss 6-10<br><br>TOTAL: 6 wins, 3 losses, 97 points for, 34 points against, differential 63, points 12<br><br><b>4. Storm (Actually 16th – 4th without penalty)</b><br>Rd 1 v Sharks: Win 6-4<br>Rd 2 v Knights: Loss 12-14<br>Rd 3 v Panthers: Win 6-4<br>Rd 4 v Dragons: Win 4-0<br>Rd 5 v Titans: Win 16-4<br>Rd 6 v Sea Eagles: Loss 6-18<br>Rd 7 v Warriors: Win 22-0<br>Rd 8 v Cowboys: Win 18-0<br>Rd 9 v Broncos: Loss 4-24<br><br>TOTAL: 6 wins, 3 losses, 94 points for, 68 against, Differential 26, points 12<br><b><br>5. Raiders (Actually 11th)</b><br>Rd 1 v Panthers: Loss 0-22<br>Rd 2 v Broncos: Win 18-0<br>Rd 3 v Titans: Loss 0-8<br>Rd 4 v Tigers: Win 22-10<br>Rd 5 v Eels: Win 18-10<br>Rd 6 v Roosters: Loss 0-18<br>Rd 7 v Rabbitohs: Win 24-6<br>Rd 8 v Warriors: Win 16-0<br>Rd 9 v Bye<br><br>TOTAL: 5 wins, 3 losses, 1 bye, 98 points for, 74 against, Differential 24, points 10<br><b><br>6. Knights (Actually 12th)</b><br>Rd 1 v Bulldogs: Win 16-0<br>Rd 2 v Storm: Win 14-12<br>Rd 3 v Sea Eagles: Loss 6-24<br>Rd 4 v Panthers: Win 24-6<br>Rd 5 v Rabbitohs: Loss 4-12<br>Rd 6 v Cowboys: Win 30-6<br>Rd 7 v Sharks: Loss 0-10<br>Rd 8 v Broncos: Loss 12-22<br>Rd 9 v Titans: Win 20-16<br><br>TOTAL: 5 wins, 4 losses, 126 points for, 108 against, differential 18, points 10<br><b><br>7. Rabbitohs (Actually 5th)</b><br>Rd 1 v Roosters: Loss 6-12<br>Rd 2 v Titans: Loss 6-12<br>Rd 3 v Sharks: Win 18-4<br>Rd 4 v Bulldogs: Win 26-6<br>Rd 5 v Knights: Win 12-4<br>Rd 6 v Eels: Win 8-2<br>Rd 7 v Raiders: Loss 6-24<br>Rd 8 v Sea Eagles: Loss 6-18<br>Rd 9 v Bye<br><br>TOTAL: 4 wins, 4 losses, 1 bye, 88 points for, 82 against, differential 6, points 10<br><br><b>8. Roosters (Actually 8th)</b><br>Rd 1 v Rabbitohs: Win 12-6<br>Rd 2 v Tigers: Win 20-12<br>Rd 3 v Bulldogs: Loss 4-30<br>Rd 4 v Broncos: Win 18-0<br>Rd 5 v Panthers: Loss 0-16<br>Rd 6 v Raiders: Win 18-0<br>Rd 7 v Dragons: Win 6-4<br>Rd 8 v Tigers: Loss 8-0<br>Rd 9 v Cowboys: Loss 10-18<br><br>TOTAL: 5 wins, 4 losses, 88 points for, 94 against, differential -6, points 10<br><b><br>9. Bulldogs (Actually 9th)</b><br>Rd 1 v Knights: Loss 0-16<br>Rd 2 v Dragons: Loss 0-16<br>Rd 3 v Roosters: Won 30-4<br>Rd 4 v Rabbitohs: Loss 6-26<br>Rd 5 v Warriors: Draw 12-12<br>Rd 6 v Tigers: Won 6-0<br>Rd 7 v Broncos: Won 12-6<br>Rd 8 v Eels: Loss 0-8<br>Rd 9 v Bye<br><br>TOTAL: 3 wins, 4 losses, 1 draw, 1 bye, 66 points for, 88 against, Differential -22, points 9<br><b><br>10. Warriors (Actually 10th)</b><br>Rd 1 v Titans: Win 18-12<br>Rd 2 v Sharks: Win 16-14<br>Rd 3 v Broncos: Win 14-10<br>Rd 4 v Sea Eagles: Loss 0-6<br>Rd 5 v Bulldogs: Draw 12-12<br>Rd 6 v Panthers: Loss 0-22<br>Rd 7 v Storm: Loss 0-22<br>Rd 8 v Raiders: Loss 0-16<br>Rd 9 v Bye<br><br>TOTAL: 3 wins, 4 losses, 1 draw, 1 bye, 60 points for, 114 against, differential -54, points 9<br><b><br>11. Broncos (Actually 13th)</b><br>Rd 1 v Cowboys: Win 20-0<br>Rd 2 v Raiders: Loss 0-18<br>Rd 3 v Warriors: Loss 10-14<br>Rd 4 v Roosters: Loss 0-18<br>Rd 5 v Dragons: Loss 6-18<br>Rd 6 v Sharks: Win 32-0<br>Rd 7 v Bulldogs: Loss 6-12<br>Rd 8 v Knights: Win 22-12<br>Rd 9 v Storm: Win 24-4<br><br>TOTAL: 4 wins, 5 losses, 120 points for, 96 against, Differential 24, points 8<br><br><b>12. Wests Tigers (Actually 7th)</b><br>Rd 1 v Sea Eagles: Loss 4-20<br>Rd 2 v Roosters: Loss 12-20<br>Rd 3 v Eels: Win 9-0<br>Rd 4 v Raiders: Loss 10-22<br>Rd 5 v Cowboys: Win 18-2<br>Rd 6 v Bulldogs: Loss 0-6<br>Rd 7 v Panthers: Loss 12-14<br>Rd 8 v Roosters: Win 8-0<br>Rd 9 v Bye<br><br>TOTAL: 3 wins, 5 losses, 1 bye, 73 points for, 84 against, differential -11, points 8 <br><br><b>13. Titans (Actually 2nd)</b><br>Rd 1 v Warriors: Loss 12-18<br>Rd 2 v Rabbitohs: Win 12-6<br>Rd 3 v Raiders: Win 8-0<br>Rd 4 v Cowboys: Loss 6-18<br>Rd 5 v Storm: Loss 4-16<br>Rd 6 v Dragons: Loss 0-6<br>Rd 7 v Sea Eagles: Loss 12-16<br>Rd 8 v Panthers: Draw 12-12<br>Rd 9 v Knights: Loss 16-20<br><br>Total: 2 wins, 6 losses, 1 draw, 82 points for, 112 against, Differential -30, points 5<br><br><b>14. Eels (Actually 6th)</b><br>Rd 1 v Dragons: Loss 6-12<br>Rd 2 v Sea Eagles: Loss 0-14<br>Rd 3 v Tigers: Loss 0-9<br>Rd 4 v Sharks: Draw 0-0<br>Rd 5 v Raiders: Loss 10-18<br>Rd 6 v Rabbitohs: Loss 2-8<br>Rd 7 v Cowboys: Draw 12-12<br>Rd 8 v Bulldogs: Win 8-0<br>Rd 9 v Bye<br><br>TOTAL: 1 win, 5 losses, 1 draw, 1 bye, 38 points for, 73 against, differential -35, points 5<br><b><br>15. Sharks (Actually 15th)</b><br>Rd 1 v Storm: Loss 4-6<br>Rd 2 v Warriors: Loss 14-16<br>Rd 3 v Rabbitohs: Loss 4-18<br>Rd 4 v Eels: Draw 0-0<br>Rd 5 v Sea Eagles: Loss 6-30<br>Rd 6 v Broncos: Loss 0-32<br>Rd 7 v Knights: Win 10-0<br>Rd 8 v Dragons: Loss 0-18<br>Rd 9 v Bye<br><br>TOTAL: 1 win, 6 losses, 1 draw, 1 bye, 38 points for, 120 against, Differential -82, points 5<br><b><br>16. Cowboys (Actually 14th)</b><br>Rd 1 v Broncos: Loss 0-20<br>Rd 2 v Panthers: Loss 2-14<br>Rd 3 v Dragons: Loss 2-17<br>Rd 4 v Titans: Win 18-6<br>Rd 5 v Tigers: Loss 2-18<br>Rd 6 v Knights: Loss 6-30<br>Rd 7 v Eels: Draw 12-12<br>Rd 8 v Storm: Loss 0-18<br>Rd 9 v Roosters: Win 18-10<br><br>TOTAL: 2 wins, 6 losses, 1 draw, 60 points for, 145 against, differential -85, points 5<br><br>Don’t miss Stats Insider next Tuesday for second-half results!
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